Sliding door construction



E. w. CLARK 1,985,976 sLIDING Doon cous'rnuc'rrqn Filed Aug...1'7, 19292 sheets-sheet 2 if if j flo/waysi Jahr v1,

Patented Jan. 1 A1935 Y sLmiNG noon En: w. clark, warren,

and meine assignments,

. Company, Rockford,

Illinois y Application August 17,

` '17 Claims.

Y. This invention relates to sliding door constructions, and moreparticularly to a modiiled species of the type comprising a plurality ofsections flexibly connected together and adapted to move along a trackfrom a closed position to an open position as disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 386,622 illed herewith and eventuating in PatentNo. 1,948,065.

While the invention is .of general application and embraces within itsscope, warehouse and airplane hangar installation, and smallerstructures such as cabinet type of furniture, it is of particularadaptability for garage doors. In the f preferred embodiment, thesections are arranged one above the other in the closed position and thedoor is opened by sliding the sections upwardly in series around acurved track to a horizontal position above the door opening andextending into the garage, occupying a position just below the roof. lIt is a, general object of the invention to sim-'.- "pli'fy and improvethe construction and operation of devices of this character.

Specifically, an important object of the invention is to seal the doorlautomatically with the closing movement of the door, in a modifiedmanner Another specific obje ct of the invention to seal the dooragainst the frame in a modied manner, in a construction in which theguiding track for the door is parallel to the door frame.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent as the followingdescription proceeds,

as taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

l Fig. 1 is an interior elevation of thesliding door constructionaccording `to the present invention Fig. 2 is an interior elevation ofone side of the garage showing the door in section;

Fig. 3 is a partial view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, showing theparts in a different position Fig. 4 is a view similar Fig. 3 showing astill Fig. 6 iS a Fig. 5;

vertical section along line `6--6 o A Fig. 'l is a view similarI to Fig.5 showing a mounting for anotherl roller;

Fig. 8 is a of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section along the line 8-8 partial horizontalsection showing cons'rnucnon Ohio, assigner, by direct to Barber-ColmanIll., a corporation otv 1929, serial No. 386,623

garage having a side wall 10, a roof 11, a door facing 12 and a doorframe 13. Each side ofv the frame 13 carries a. sealing memberv 14against which the door isadapted to abut in the closed position.

The door comprises a plurality of sections 15,

16,` 17 and 18 which are hingedly connected to'- gether.

For guiding the door from the vertical closed position to the horizontalposition interior of the building and above the ldoor opening, a trackmember is provided which comprises a straight vertical section 19, acurved section 20 'and a straight horizontal section 21. The door isguided by and supported upon this track by means of rollers 22, 23, 24,25 and 26.

'Ihe mounting for the rollers 24 and 25 is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Ahinge member 27 is secured to the section 1'7 and a mating hinge section28 is secured to the door section 16.

Y These twoV parts cooperate to form a hinge, the

pintle of which is formed by a member 29. The

member 29 is rotatable with respect to both sections 27 and 28 andcomprises a substantially U-shaped member having an oiset'arm 30, on

which the roller 24 is journalled. A spring 31 is coiled around themember 29 and has one end engaging a hinge member 28, as at 32, and itsother end engagingthe arm 30, as at 33.

'I'he mounting for the roller 26 lis shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and isidentical with that described with respect to Figs. 5 and 6 with theexception that a single integral member is employed instead of the hingemembersv 2' and 28.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the rollers 22 to26 are yieldably mounted as the members 29 upon which they arejournalled may rotate in their mountings. With only the arrangementdescribed above, the door in its closed position would come to restsubstantially parallel to the Asealing member 14 but spaced more or lesstherefrom due to the yieldable mounting of the rollers.

journalled a pivot 41.

` engage the arm 29 of each of the rollers.

Means are provided for automatically urging the door sections againstthe sealing member 14, as the door is moved into its closed position.Fixed pivots 34, 35, 36, 3'7 and 38 are located in a line yparallel tothe sealing member 14 but spacedv therefrom and distributed along thelength thereof. In the embodiment shown, these pivots are providedby'strap members 39 which are secured to the track 20 and provided withoutwardly projecting flanges 40, in which is Secured to the pivot 41outside of the flanges 40 is an arm 42, one such arm being provided ateach of the pivot points. Nearthe .outer end of each of these arms, theyare connected to a vertical link 43, which insures simultaneous andparallel lmovement of the arms. The outer end of Veach arm is providedwith a notch or socket 44 which is adapted to receive the U-bolt arm 29.The arm 42 associated with the xed pivot 38 is of slightly-differentconstruction from the remaining arms as it is provided with an extensin45 below the socket 44, which extension forms a trip for operating, allof the arms 42.

In operation, as the door is lowered into its closed position, the arm29 of the roller 26 will engage the extension 45 and pull the link 43downward against the laction of a suitable spring It should be notedthat the pins 41 are spaced exactly like the members 29 and, for thisreason, as the extension 45 is moved downward,

moving the arm 42 about its pvot, the remainingarms will also becorrespondingly moved and will take a position in which the socket 44will The pivotal movement of the arms will urge the rollers toward thesealing member 14 and in the' final position of the door, the respectivesections thereof will be urged tightly against the sealing strip.`

Means are providedfor counterbalancing the weight of the door tofacilitate easy operation thereof. A pin 46 is provided at the bottomsection of the door and secures one end of a chain or cable 47. Thiscable extends above the top of thedoor and passes over a fixed pulley48, a movable pulley 49, another iixed pulley 50 and a further movablepulley 51. The other end of the cable is ilxed as at 52 to the block 53in which the xed pulleys 48 and 50 are Journalled. The movable pulleys49 and 50 are carried by a block 54, the lower end of which carries aneye 55 receiving one end of a heavy coil spring 56. The lower end of thespring 56 is secured to an eye bolt 57, passing through an aperture in abracket 58 and adjustably secured thereto by the nut 59. i

-While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described incomparative detail for the -purposes of adequate disclosure, the

` vbroader idea of theinvention is not limited to any of the detailsdisclosed herein, but instead includes such embodiments thereof as arewithin the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is: A

1. In an overhead door construction, a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor vmembers for trav- 1,985,978 n l 'i closed position, said meansbeing adapted when..

shifted with respect to the door members to eifect lateral movementthereof toward the door opening, and means for automatically effectingthe shifting of said door closing means as an in- .cident to theedgewise movement of the door lmembers into closed position.

2. The combination of a door, a door frame providing an opening with anabutment for ensagement by marginal edge portions of the door,

said ldoor being movable edgewise across said opening. guiding andcontrollingmeans for the door including a plurality of pivotal elementssupported for pivotal movement relative to the door, actuating meansautomatically swinging said elements relative to the door as itapproaches its closed position and serving to impart to the door avrelatively abrupt movement toward the plane of the door .opening wherebyto carry said marginal edge portions against said abutment, vand springmeans operable in the movement of the door edgewise away from its closedposition to move yit abruptly in a direction away from the abutment.

3. 'I'he combination with a door frame, of a door having marginal edgeportions arranged to abutsaid frame and movable edgewise relative to theframe in opening and closing the door, a track spacedl from the frame,an arm pivoted at one end to the door and having a guide elementengaging in said track,l spring means acting between said door and saidarm and tending to rotate the arm in a direction to move the doorlaterally away from the frame, and means operable automatically in theapproach of the door toward its closed position to rotate the armagainst the action of said spring means -and in a direction to move thedoor laterally against said frame.

4. The combination of a door having a plurality of panels hingedtogether in edge to edge `relation, a door frame providing an openingwith an abutment for engagement by marginal I edge portions of thepanels, a stationarily mounted guide track having a section disposed ina plane approximately parallel to the door opening and a sectionreceding therefrom, a plurality of closing elements supported forpivotal movement relative to the door panels andspaced apart in thedirection of movement of the door, and actuating means for swinging saidelements `relative to the individual panels automatically as an incidentto the edgewise movement of'the door into its closed position, saidelements operating in such movement to impart to the individual panelsarelatively abrupt lateral movement toward the door opening whereby tocarry said marginal edge portions toward said abutment.

5. The combination of a door frame providing an opening, a door adaptedfor movement edgewise in a plane across said opening and parallelthereto, and means for governing the movement of the door relative tothe door frame including a fixed guide member extending substantiallyparallel to the door opening, a pluralityof arms pivotally mounted onsaid guide member and spacedapart in the direction of movement of thedoor, and a device operable automatically an incident to the edgewisemovement of the Adoor into its closed position to move the arms intooperative relation to the door, said arms acting in'such closingmovement of the door to impart to the door an additional relatively vofthe panels, a guide means including a track having a section disposed ina plane approximately parallel to the door opening and a sectionreceding therefrom, said door having a plurality oi bearing elementsthereon spaced apart in the direction ,of movement of the door anddisposed on the inner face of the latter, a plurality of pivotalelements mounted on said track and spaced apart according to the spacingof4 said bearing elements on the door, said pivotal elements beingnormally held in a position clear of said pins, and means operating asthe door moves into its closed position to swing said pivotal elementsinto positions to be engaged one by each of said bearing elements,

said pivotal elements operating upon such en-y gagement to impart to theindividual panels a relatively abrupt lateral movement toward the dooropening whereby to carry said marginal edge portions toward saidabutment.

'1. The combination of a door having a plurality of panels, hingesconnecting the adjacent edges of the panels and including pintles at theinner side of the door, means for guiding the door edgewise across adoor opening including a track having a section disposed in a planespa'ced from the door opening and a section recedingr therefrom, aplurality of closing elements pivotally mounted on the track andnormally held in a position clear of said hinge pintles, and meansoperable as the door moves into its closed position to swing saidelements into the path of movement of. the pintles for engagement by thelatter, said elements operating upon the pintlesin such closing movementof the door to impart lateral movementto the door. K

8. The combination of a door adapted for movement edgewise in a planeacross a door opening, andmeans for governing movement of the doorrelativey to said opening including a ilxed guide member extending alongthe door opening, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on said guidemember and spaced apart in the direction of movement of the door, aplurality of elements projecting from the inner face of the door andspaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of said arms, andmeans operable as the door moves into its closed position to 'swing saidarms into the path of movement 'of said projecting elements, said armsoperating in such .movement to impart an abrupt lateral movement to thedoor into tightly closed relation to the door opening.

v 9. An overhead door comprising a plurality of panels hinged togetherin edge to edge relation, means for guiding, said panels for movement Aacross a'door opening includingy a track stationarily mounted adjacentthe door opening, rollers engaging in said tracks, said door panelshaving hinges connecting' adjacent sections and including hinge pintleseach having a crank arm carrying one of said rollers, and meansoperating as an incident to the movement of the door into itsl closedpomtion to impart an 'abrupt lateral movement tothe door panels relativeto said track, said crank arms being adapted to rock insuchlateralmovement of the door panels.

l0. An overhead door comprising a plurality of panels hinged together inedge toxedgelrelatiom means for guiding said panels 'for movement acrossa door opening including a track stationarily mounted adjacent the dooropening, rollers engaging in said tracl, said door panels having hingesconnecting adjacent sections and including hinge pintles each having acrank arm carrying on`e of said rollers, a plurality of pivotal elementsmounted on said track and spaced apart in the direction of movement ofthe door a distance corresponding to said hinge pintles, said elementsbeing normally `held clear of said pintles in 'the movement of lthedoor, and means operating as the door moves into its closed position toswing said elements into position to be engaged by said pintles forarcuate motion with ing, rollers engagingin said tracks, said doorpanels having hinges connecting adjacent sections and including hingepintles each having a crank arm carrying one of said rollers, aplurality of pivotal elements mounted on said track and spaced apart inthe direction of movement of the door a distance corresponding to saidhinge pintles, said elements being normally held clearl of said pintlesin the movement of the door, eans operating as the door moves intoitsclosed position to swing ,said elements into position to be engagedby said pintles for .arcuate motion with the free endsof the elementsduring the closing movement of the door, and spring means acting'uponsaid crank arms and tending to move the door panels laterally away fromsaid opening 12. The'combination of a door, a .door frame providing anopening with an abutment for engagementy by :marginal edge portions ofthe door, said door beingmovable edgewise across said opening guidingand controlling means for the door including .a track and a-plurality ofpivotal elements supported on said track for movement relative to thedoor, actuating means operating automaticallyto swing said elementsrelative to the door as the latter approaches its closed position andserving to impart to ,the door a relatively abrupt movement toward 13.The combination of a door, a door `frame providing an opening with anabutment for engagement by marginal adge portions of the door, said doorbeing movable edgewise across said opening. guiding and controllingmeans for the door including a track stationarily mounted adjacent thedoor at the inner side thereof, a plurality of rollers swingably mountedon the door and engaging in said track, spring lmeans acting upon saidrollers and tending-,to hold the door in -a position clear of said'abutment, a plurality of pivotal elements mounted on said track andspaced apart in the direction of movement of the door, and meansoperable as the door moves into .its closed position to swing saidelementsinto operative engagement with 'the door, said elements'operating in the closing "movement of the door to impart an abruptlateral movement thereto toward said opening against the action ci' saidspring means.

14. The combination with a door mounted for movement edgewise across adoor opening, of a closing mechanism for the door comprising a pluralityof pivotal elements mounted to turn on iixed axes adjacent the door, andmeans operable automatically as an incident to the approaching of thedoor toward its closed position to swing said elements directly intoengagement with the door, said elements operating in' such swingingmovement to impart an abrupt lateral movement to the door.

15. An overhead door comprising, in combination, a plurality oi' panelshinged together in edge-to-edge relation, means for guiding said panelsformovement across a door opening having a jamb, said means including atrack stationarily mounted adjacent the door opening,

rollers carried by the door at the hinged connections between the panelsand cooperating with the tracks to provide an operating clear# ancebetween the/door and the said jamb, and means operative as the doorapproaches its closed position for shifting the door panels as a unittoward said jamb and comprising a series of shifting devices mounted onthe track for movement relative thereto and spaced apart in thedirection of movement ot the door a distance corresponding to thespacing of said rollers. and a second series vof devices carried by thedoor and associated respectively with said guide rollers, the devices onthe track being movable automatically as an incident to the approachofthe door toward its iinal closed position into engagement withdevices onthe door and coact\ mg therewith to shift the door ma engagement withthe iamb.

16. 4In an overhead door construction, a door having a plurality ofhingedly connected door -panels for traversing a door opening, astationary track including a straight upright section and a sectionextending rearwardly from the ldoor opening, means on said panelsloosely engaging in said track so as to guide the door from asubstantially vertical closed position to an overhead open position, anactuating member arranged for movement as an incident to the movement ofthe door as it approaches its closed position, and means operated bysaid memberin such movement and acting upon all o1' said panels in theclosed positionthereof to hold the door in tightly sealed relation tothe door opening.

17. The combination of a door, a door frame providing an opening with anabutment adapted for engagement by the door in the closed positionthereof, and means including a guide member and a plurality oi' crankarms coacting with said guide member `forgoverning the movementof-'thedoor relative to the door frame, said crank arms being spaced apart inthe direction of movement of the door and acting between said. guidemember and the door to impart thereto a relatively abrupt movement in adirec- ,tion toward or away from the frame as incidents to edgewise'movements of the door into` or out of closed position.

EARL W. CLARK.

